This summer, I have been notoriously rocking the graphic tee. From laid back outfits at the beach to a dressier ensemble at brunch, I turn to graphic tees to incorporate an extra edge to my look without doing the most. Below are my favourite tees of the season and links to where they can be purchased!
T H E C I T Y T E E
My dad is responsible for all my shirts that display a certain city. From San Francisco to New York City, these shirts never go out of style - think about it, souvenir shops would go bankrupt. Sandro and J.Crew are my go-to’s when purchasing unique city graphics. Whenever I purchase these shirts, I am always nostalgic of an early 2000s rom-com since the protagonist most of the time wears either a hat or a shirt that represents a team’s city.
How to Style: I tend to wear city tees whenever I run errands. I tend to opt for an athleisure look with dark shorts, white sneakers, topped off with a baseball cap. Unlike the logo tee, I don’t feel the need to layer since a city is not as obnoxious as rocking a logo. My only pet peeve is wearing, let’s say, a shirt that says New York City, only to wear a hat that reads, San Francisco. Should I decide to wear a city tee that day, I’ll opt for a plain cap to draw focus on the shirt and nothing else.
On the Wish List: Ami, Club Monaco, Peace Collective, and Zadig & Voltaire.
T H E L O G O T E E
When I was a pre-teen, I begged my parents for an overpriced Abercrombie Kids logo tee. Since then, the logo t-shirt movement hit an all-time high, but faded from the spotlight around 2012. This summer, logos are making a huge comeback. From various retailers to elite universities, businesses are producing bank by selling closet staples that dual as self promotion.
How to Style: Whenever I choose to wear a logo, I think of the preppy, ivy-league lifestyle consisting of layers and patterns. Since retailers tend to get obnoxious with their branding, I layer either a striped oxford button down or a plaid flannel on top of the tee to tone down the graphic on the shirt. With only a portion of the logo in sight, a simple outfit becomes subtly elevated without full-on advertising the brand.
On the Wish List: Burberry, Gucci, H&M, and Saturdays NYC.
T H E P H O T O T E E
These shirts are a hit or miss. Personally speaking, I cannot stand a cheesy graphic of a beach or a forcefully posed image of a singer. However, I appreciate tees that display archival images from pop-culture or the brand’s history. Because these designs tend to be limited edition, I don’t hesitate purchasing one since it feels like owning a piece of history. Lacoste did this years ago when they sold tees with their 1973 advertisement campaign with Rolan Garros.
How to Style: For some reason, I find myself in a photo tee when I’m at the beach or on a night out. The image is already such a focal point, I think it makes an outfit edgy. For the beach, I paired the Ben Sherman tee (pictured below) with patterned swim shorts and a neckerchief. However, for a night out, I would tuck it into some cropped slacks with a silk bomber jacket (if the weather permits).
On the Wish List: Burberry, Lucky Brand, Marc Jacobs, and Rag & Bone.
Evidently, I have a lot to say about graphic t-shirts. They express a lot about a person, giving insight on their interests, hobbies, and characteristics. Lately, menswear seems to rear consumers into adhering to a specific look that individuality has been compromised. Therefore, graphic tees are not only a staple in everyone’s wardrobe, but also double as a personalized statement piece.
Candidly,
Jonah
